AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Gunnar Mettala Park

Mud Lake–Oak Hills Basin, 4 lakes

13 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 4 hr 21 min

Mud Lake–Oak Hills Basin, 4 lakes is a 13-mile out-and-back in Gunnar Mettala Park near Wolverine Lake, MI. The route passes Mud Lake and Ruffino Basin before reaching Oak Hills Basin at the turnaround, 6.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi909 – 965 ft14.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.54118, -83.45025
Nearest town Wolverine Lake, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mud Lake–Oak Hills Basin, 4 lakes

13 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 4 hr 21 min

Elevation 910–965 ft

Out & Back · Gunnar Mettala Park

Trailhead: 42.54118, -83.45025

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:21 AM · sunset 7:35 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 350 ftTurn right onto M-5 Metro Trail, heading N.
  4. 0.3 miSharp left onto Michigan Air Line Trail, heading SW.
  5. 1.4 miBear left, heading W.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  7. 0.1 miPass Mud Lake.
  8. 1.8 miTurn right, heading S.
  9. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  10. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  11. 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
  12. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  13. 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  15. 0.6 miPass Ruffino Basin.
  16. 50 ftPass Oak Hills Basin.
  17. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miReach Mud Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  22. 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
  23. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  24. 0.7 miBear left, heading S.
  25. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  26. 0.9 miTurn left, heading E.
  27. 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  29. 1.9 miBear left, heading E.
  30. 1.5 miSharp right onto M-5 Metro Trail, heading E.
  31. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  32. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/mud-lake-oak-hills-basin-out-back-4-lakes-21-km

Trail surface

81% paved6% gravel13% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:21 AMSunset 7:35 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~80 min). Leave by 5:55 PM for the 7:35 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Wolverine Lake, Michigan